78 EDGE OF THE JUNGLE 



welcomes, no chanties. It was uncanny to think 

 of a race of creatures such as these, dreaded by 

 every living being, wholly dominant in their con- 

 tinent-wide sphere of action, yet born, living out 

 their lives, and dying, dumb and blind, with no 

 possibility of comment on life and its fullness, of 

 censure or of applause. 



The sweeping squad on the floor was interest- 

 ing because of its limited field of work at such 

 a distance from the nest; but close to my chair 

 were a number of other specialized zones of activ- 

 ity, any one of which would have afforded a fer- 

 tile field for concentrated study. Beneath the 

 swarm on the white canvas, I noticed two large 

 spots of dirt and moisture, where very small flies 

 were collected. An examination showed that this 

 was a second, nearer dumping-ground for all the 

 garbage and refuse of the swarm which could not 

 be thrown down on the kitchen middens far be- 

 low. And here were tiny flies and other insects 

 acting as scavengers, just as the hosts of vultures 

 gather about the slaughter-house of Georgetown. 



The most interesting of all the phases of life 

 of the ants' home town, were those on the hori- 

 zontal board which projected from the beam and 

 stretched for several feet to one side of the 



